How Do I Learn the Greek Language?

Are you interested in leaning the Greek language? If so, you might be wondering what the most effective way to learn it is. There are several factors that may determine the approach you will take when learning it, and a lot has to do what your goals are. Here are some tips that will help you learn the Greek language to the best of your abilities:

Establish Your Goals

Before you can get started learning the language, it helps if you establish what you’re long term goals are because this will play a role in shaping your study and practice schedule. If you are traveling to Greece and only plan on learning some key phrases, you will take a different approach to learn than if you wanted to become fluent in the language. Of course, it is possibly for you goals to change. For example, if you begin by learning some basic Greek for an upcoming trip, you might decide to continue your studies after you get back. At this point, you may decide to shift your strategy a bit because of your new goals.

Start By Learning Some Basics

However, no matter what your goals are, you will need to start by learning a few basics. This includes memorizing lists of important words and also basic grammatical concepts. Here’s a look at some of the things you might consider learning in the beginning stages:

Greek Alphabet. The Greek language has a unique alphabet, and in order to even know the basics you need to know what the letters are and how they sound. Casual Greek learners make the mistake of memorizing how a word sounds without understanding how it looks. This is okay for conversation, but while visiting Greece you’ll need to be able to read a little bit, too.

Basic Grammar. Even if you may not want to become fluent, it really is helpful if you are at least aware of the basic grammatical concepts in the language. Having minimal exposure to grammatical ideas, such as how to conjugate verbs, can even help you memorize some of the basic phrases a little easier.

Basic Counting. If you look at the curriculum of most language skills (no matter what the language is) you might notice that they spend a fair amount of time on memorizing the numbers. This is because people often don’t realize how important they really are! You need numbers to tell time, go shopping, eat at restaurants, order tickets, etc.

Memorize Words. There are some words that you will use on a daily basis, such as how to say hello. It is a good idea to memorize these words to the best of your abilities, especially if you are planning to visit Greece.

Although learning Greek may seem like an intimidating task, remember that it is possible to learn it no matter how old you are or what stage of life you are in. The goal is to be as consistent as possible and remember to relax with the process. While using the language, most people will be kind and help you if you don’t remember what you are trying to say. When you are in a relaxed state, it makes the whole process so much easier!

The Learn Greek section on GreekBoston.com was written by Greeks to help people understand the conversational basics of the Greek language. This article is not a substitute for a professional Greek learning program, but a helpful resource for people wanting to learn simple communication in Greek.